SPRINGFIELD -- "Mary Alice Johnston: Faces of Paris," an exhibit of photographs spanning nearly 60 years, will be on display at the Visual Arts Gallery at the University of Illinois at Springfield from Thursday, October 4, through Thursday, November 1. An artist's talk sponsored by the UIS Alumni Association will be presented at 5:30 p.m. on October 4 in the gallery, followed by an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. The artist's talk, reception, and exhibit are all free and open to the public.

"Quai de la Tourelle" by Mary Alice Johnston

The series is inspired by the passage of time and its effect on the life of a great city and its people. Johnston began taking the photographs in 1950 when she arrived in Paris for a year of study at the Sorbonne. At that time, Parisians were still emerging from the nightmare of Nazi occupation and the military humiliation of World War II, and their hopes and fears for a new era were reflected in their faces. Johnston found herself impressed by how the city's street life mirrored the efforts of a fractured culture to recover its energy. Over the years, Johnston has exhibited her photographs in galleries in France and the United States and they have appeared in various publications and posters.

The Visual Arts Gallery is located in room 201 of the Health and Sciences Building on the UIS campus. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday. For further information, go to www.uis.edu/visualarts/ or contact the gallery by phone at 217/206-6506 or by e-mail at visarts-ga@uis.edu.

The University of Illinois at Springfield, one of three U of I campuses, is a small, public liberal arts university that offers 42 degree programs: 21 bachelorís, 20 masterís, and the Doctorate of Public Administration. UIS has a special mission in public affairs and service and is known for extraordinary internships, a wireless campus, extensive online offerings, and a commitment to teaching.